Shoe polishing kit



May 2l, 940. w. .coNNoR- ASHOE POLISHING KIT Filed Nov. 5, 1935 Y Invenor Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

My invention relates to devices for dressing surfaces, more particularly devices involving application of a surface-treating composition, followed by the application of a polishing medium, and is directed specifically to an improved form of hand kit for polishing shoes.

A general object of my invention is to dispense a shoe polish in collapsible tubes, in the well known manner of dispensing similar fluent materials, and to provide a handy kit therefor, which serves the treble vpurpose of a dauber. polisher and holder for retaining the collapsible tube when the tube is not in use. With my improved kit, not only is the old style can of paste, bristle dauber and separate polisher supplanted, but the footwear may be dressed without soiling the hands. Additionally, it provides a compact kit, convenient for carrying when traveling.

A more specific feature oi my invention resides in the provision of a recess in the hand grip portion of the polisher, adapted to receive both the cylindrical and flattened portions of the tube, in a manner to admit of frictionally retaining the tube in place, either by reason of coacting dimentions of the tube and recess, or by other retaining means, or both. The form of the recess also serves to reconform distortions of the tube resulting from use.

Other objects and features of my invention, not recited above, will be apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the assembled device, indicating by dotted lines the position of the tube within the back of the polisher;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the polisher assembly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the polisher, illustrating a modification thereof;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a typical, collapsible, dispensing tube, partially collapsed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of tube;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the tube shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary elevation showing the end of the polisher provided with a yielding means to engage the tube closure clip;

Fig. 8 is a similar view, showing the clip engaged by the yielding means;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan View, illustrating a second modification of the tube;

Fig. l0 is an enlarged cross-section of the tube closure clip, taken as indicated by line Ill- I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of a second modiilcation of the polisher, showing the tube clip of Fig. 9 in frictional engagement therewith; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective View of the liner shown in Fig. 11.

The polisher shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has a back portion, generally designated by the numeral 20, which is, exteriorly, in the form of a cylindrical hand grip 2l and a polisher face 22. The polisher face 22 is covered with a suitable yielding, polishing material 23, such as lambs wool, either with or without a felt under-padding. One end of the back portion 20, which I will term the forward end, is rounded to form a surface 24, to which is attached a spreader or dauber 24a, which also may be of lambs wool.

My invention contemplates the use of a fluent surface-treating composition, such as shoe polish, to be supplied and dispensed in the well known collapsible tubes, like similar fluent materials are now dispensed, such as shaving and cold creams, and further contemplates that the composition will be dispensed by manually flattening the tube progressively from the lower or clip end without rolling the flattened portion of the tube upon itself. In Fig. 4, numeral 25 generally designates a partially emptied tube of this type. The shape of this tube is important to an understanding of my invention. The flattened portion 2B of the tube terminates at the lower end in the usual transverse closure clip 21, here shown to be coterminous with the width of the flattened portion. Flattened portion 26 presents two longitudinal. edges 28, each of which continues forward to two diagonal edges 29 diverging from the plane of the attened portion at the transition to the normal cylindrical portion 30 of the tube. It will be noted that diverging edges 29 dene a shoulder 3l adjacent each longitudinal edge 28. Such shoulders are clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Extending inwardly from the rear of the back 20 is a longitudinal recessor chamber 32, adapted to receive tube 25 for storage when not in use. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that this chamber is characterized by two opposed sides 33, arranged to conform to the cylindrical portion 30 of the tube, and two longitudinally disposed grooves 34 formed to receive longitudinal edges 28 of the flattened portion of the tube; the sides 33 and grooves 34 being connected by opposed sides 34a, to conform to and receive diverging edges 29 of shoulders 3|.

While the sides 33 of recess 32 are preferably in the form of arcuate surfaces, with the sides 34a converging to the grooves 34, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as with this form the arcuate surfaces conform to the cylindrical portion 30 of the tube, not only for the purpose of frictionally engaging it on opposite sides but also for the purpose of reconforming distortions of the tube resulting from handling, nevertheless these sides may be angularly formed, provided the angularities and dimensions are such that certain surfaces of the cylindrical portion of the tube may still be frictionally engaged. l

In the form of my invention illustrated by Figs. l, 2 ande, wherein the closure clip 27 is no wider y than the flattened portion 26 of the tube, the

ing and dimensioning arcuate portions 33 of the chamber wall to frictionally engage irregularities in cylindrical portion 3u of the tube, or by so restricting the clearance between edges 28 of the flattened portion of the tube and the chamber Walls that grooves 34 will frictionally engage irregularities in said edges, or the relationship of the shape and size of the tube to the shape and size of the chamber may be such as to provide such friction both at the arcuate portions and in the grooves, aswell as along edges 29. In the latter case, whenever the tube is reinserted in the chamber after use, arcuate portions 33 of the chamber wall will tend to reshape deformities in the cylindrical portion of the tube caused by handling, and grooves 3d will likewise tend to reshape wrinkles and other irregularities inr longitudinal edges 28 of the tube, said reshaped portions continuing to frictionally engage the walls of the chamber after the tube is completely inserted.

The fact that the walls of a collapsible tube are necessarily soft, pliant, and, inelastic, and therefore readily deformed, has heretofore had no signicance'with respect to a container for such tube. It is a feature of my invention, however, that I take advantage of these characteristics for the useful purpose of frictionally retaining a collapsible tube in an open-end container. Thus, a Virtue of my particular combination of tube and recess is that, between periods of storage in the polisher recess, the necessary handling of the tube in the course of dispensing the fluid content serves to re-distort -the tube wall, thereby tending to renew conditions favorable to the frictional relationship between the tube and polisher. In fact, the handling of the tube usually f. restores the friction factors to such an extent that When the tube is replaced it will normally resist the full force of gravity, even if the recess is placed in a reversed vertical position.

The tube shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to the tube of Fig. 4, corresponding numbers indicating corresponding parts, except that the closure clip 21a is of such length as to provide at one or both ends a portion 2lb extending beyond corresponding longitudinal edge 28 of the tube. Fig. 3 shows a simple recess 35 in each groove 34 near the open end of the chamber, such recess being provided to either loosely or frictionally receive protruding ends 2b (or 4l) of the clip, as desired.

Instead of arranging for a close t between the chamber walls and, the tube, to provide friction tending to retain thetube within the chamber, the walls may be arranged to t the tube sufciently close to substantially reconform distortions of both the cylindrical and attened portions of the tube, andl retaining frictional means may be provided solely in conjunction. with the protruding ends of the tube closure clip. In Fig.

7, for example, the recess generally designated by numeral 3'?, having an enlarged inner end,

, extends transversely through the chamber wall and is shaped (the enlarged inner end) to receive and longitudinally retain a similarly formed spring 38 that presents a pair of jaws 39 disposed towards the open end of the chamber, the ends @il of the jaws turning back against the body of the brush, as shown. When the tube of Fig. 5 is inserted in the polisher of Fig. '7, each end 2lb of the tube closure clip spreads and is frictionally engaged by jaws 3S, as shown in Fig. S. v

A salient feature of my invention is the fact that when the tube is inserted in the handle, the transverse coniguration of` the chamber being substantially that indicated by Fig. 2, there is a cam action between the edges of the open end of the chamber 32 (sides 33 and 34a) and diagonal edges 29 of shoulders 3i of the tube, which cam action turns the tube about its axis until longitudinal edges 26 of the flattened portion of the tube register with longitudinal grooves 34. In the combination of the tube shown in Fig. 5 with the polisher shown in Figs. and 8, I anticipate the chamber will be dirnensioned to permit the tube to turn freely. In such a construction, when the camparatively loose fitting tube is inserted, or dropped vertically, into the chamber of the polisher back, with the flattened portion of the tube turned at an acute angle to the plane of grooves 3d of the chamber, the tube Will be autornatically turned to the proper alignment to insure engagement of clip end 26 with spring 38. Not only does the long clip operate to frictionally retain the tube Within the recess, but it'also limits the distance which the tube can extend into the recess, so that it is alwaysin a convenient position to be grasped by the thumb and forefinger for removal.

The tube shown in Fig. 9 is similar to the tubes shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, corresponding numbers indicating corresponding elements, but has a different closure clip 21e. Intermediate portions of this clip are crimped to the tube in the usual manner, but the two halves of overhanging ends il are yieldingly spread apart, as indicated in Fig. l and preferably are embossed to form outwardly disposed nubs 42. This tube is designed for use with a polisher constructed as indicated in Fig. 11. Recess 31a of Fig. 11 is similar to recess 3l of Figs. l and 8, but is shaped with straight sides, which are frictionally en`- gaged lby yielding ends of the tube closure clip when the tube is'inserted. n

Preferably, the straight sides of recess 37a are protectedby a liner, such as a U-shaped member 43, constructed as shown in Fig, 12. This member may have V-shaped tongues 44 cut in its opposite legs, both for the purpose of securing the liner in place and also for the purpose of providing V-shaped recesses d that receive nubs 42 of the tube closure clip. The relation of the various parts when the tube is within the chamber of the brush may be understood from Fig. 11.

A further means for frictionally retaining the tube 25 within the recess 32, due to the particular configuration of the recess, may be inthe form ofk a small piece of wedge-shaped material 46, such as felt or rubber, secured to one of the walls o f the-recess and positioned to frictionally engage one side of the cylindrical shoulder portions 4I of the tube 25 and force the opposite side of the tube into frictional engagement with the opposite side of the recess, as shown by dotted tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened lines in Fig. l. This form may be u sed in conjunction with any of the other forms hereinbefore described.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a kit of the character described, having a body portion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a iiattened end, by the progressive extension of which flat character fiuent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having two diametrically opposed arcuate surfaces positioned to conform to diametrically opposed surfaces of the cylindrical portion of the tube and having two diametrically opposed grooves to receive the longitudinal edges of the attened portion of the tube.

2. In a kit of the character described, having a body portion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened end, by the progressive extension ofwhich flat character fluent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having two diametrically opposed grooves substantially V-shaped in crosssectional configuration to receive the longitudinal edges of the liattened portion of the tube.

3. In a kit of the character described, having a body portion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened end, by the progressive extension of which iiat character iiuent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having two diametrically opposed grooves substantially V-shaped in crosssectional configuration to receive the longitudinal edges of the flattened portion of the tube, the sides of said grooves tangentially terminating in two opposed, arcuate portions of the recess to receive the cylindrical body of the tube.

4. In a kit of the character described, having a `body portion, the, combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened end, by the progressive extension of which flat character uent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having two diametrically opposed grooves subtsantialiy V-shaped in crosssectional configuration to receive the longitudinal edges of the flattened portion of the tube, said grooves being diametrically spaced to frictionally engage said longitudinal edges.

5. In a kit of the character described, having a body portion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened end, by the progressive extension of which flat character iiuent material is dispensed from the tube, there being diverging edges at the transition from the cylindrical to the attened portion,

said recess having two diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves to receive the edges of the flattened portions of the tube, the walls of said grooves diverging at angles to cause a cam action against said diverging edges of the tube to rotate said longitudinal edges into diametric alignment with said grooves.

6. In a kit of the character described, having a bodyportion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible end, by the progressive extension of which flat character uent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having a cross-sectional configuration conforming to the cross-sectional configurations of both the cylindrical and flattened portions of the tube; closure means formed'at the flattened end of the tube and extending laterally beyond the side edges thereof; and recesses at the open end of the body portion adapted to be engaged by said closure means. i

7. In a kit of the character described, having a body portion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened end, by the progressive extension of which fiat character uent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having a cross-sectional configuration conforming to the crosssectional congurations of both the cylindrical and attened portions of the tube; a closure clip secured across the flattened end of thev tube and extending laterally beyond the side edges thereof; recesses at the open end of the body portion adapted to be engaged by the extended ends of the clip; and yielding means associated with one or more of said recesses to frictionally engage the clip.

8. In a kit of the character described, having a body portion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened end, by the progressive extension of which flat character iiucnt material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having. a cross-sectional conguration conforming to the cross-sectional congurations of both the cylindricaland flattened portions of the tube; a closure clip secured across the flattened end of the tube and extending laterally beyond the side edges thereof; recesses at the open end of the body portion adapted to be engaged by the extended ends of the clip, said extended ends of the clip being yielding to frictionally engage in the recesses.

9. In a kit of the character described having a body portion, a recess extending longitudinally therein from one end thereof, said recess having two diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending, substantially V-shaped side portions extending to junctures with two diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending, substantially arcuate side portions.

l0. In a kit of the character described having a body portion, a recess extending longitudinally .therein from one end thereof, said recess having two diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending, substantially V-shaped side portions extending to junctures with two diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending, substantially arcuate side portions, and means to removably retain a collapsible tube within said recess by frictional engagement With the tube.

ll. In a kit of the character described having a body portion, the combination of a recess extending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereof adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and a flattened end, by the progressive extension of which fiat character uent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess being characterized by having opposed surfaces to accommodate surfaces on opposite sides of the cylindrical portion of the u tube and having an alternate pair of diametrically opposed grooves providing greater diametrical clearance than the rst pair of surfaces, to accommodate the longitudinal edges of said attened portion of the tube.

12. In a kit of the character described, having a body portion, the combination of a recess eX- tending longitudinally into the body portion from one end thereoic adapted to receive a collapsible tube that has a cylindrical body and/a flattened end, by the progressive extension of which lat character uent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having a cross-sectional conguration to accommodate the cylindrical and flattened portions of the tube; and means in connection with the flattened end of the tube adapt- `which flat character uent material is dispensed from the tube, said recess having a cross-sectional congurationto accommodate th-e cylindrical and flattened portion of the tube; land cooperative means associated With the tube and body portion to removably retain the tube in the recess by frictional engagement.

` W. L. CONNOR. 

